Monday, January 20, 2014

Anger finally bursts forth..

As I predicted, "big trouble" has taken place today.

At the lunchtime 'EuroMaidan 'it was apparent that many of the crowd were dissatisfied with the half-hearted indecisive proposals and appeals of the opposition political leaders. Wolf whistles and jeers were heard for the first time ringing around Independence Square.

Other more radical civic leaders received a better reception, particularly when they proposed more radical, direct, but nevertheless peaceful action, including picketing of the Verhkovna Rada building.

Up to a thousand radical protesters from various parts of the country, not provacateurs, picked up this initiative. They were intercepted by Berkut special forces on Hrushevska Street and the situation spun quickly out of control. Buses and other vehicles were burned, thunderflashes thrown, many were injured. Violence continues as I write, and can be seen on hromadske.tv website.

More radical protesters have had enough of the talking and the 'pseudo' struggle. From the start of this crisis, opposition politicians have not led events but have floundered in their wake, e.g. as during the AutoMadian actions...

Radical protesters have finally lost patience. They know the ruling authorities have robbed the country blind over the last few years, and have cynically abused their power. If the economic situation was better, these young protesters could perhaps be bought off, but they now realise the government cannot, and will not, improve their lot, they have no future in the current set-up. The new authoritarian laws so cynically passed last week were the last straw.

Opposition leaders have failed to deliver, and can offer nothing.

As I write columns of security personnel are moving toward the centre of Kyiv. Looks as if EuroMaidan is going to be smashed. To tell the truth, it's raison d'etre has, in any case, now come to an end...

The blame for the mess lies at the door of president Yanukovych who has stubbornly refused to contact and listen to the demands of civic leaders who are the driving force of the protests, or conduct any meaningful dialogue with opposition politicians.

You simply cannot blank out half a million decent citizens that have been on the streets every Sunday for the last two months...

Getting the genie back into the bottle will now be very difficult..

p.s. Several days ago, amongst the packet of authoritarian laws "passed' without prior notice in parliament, was one banning the wearing of helmets masks or military uniform during peaceful gatherings. Many participants of Sunday's EuroMaidan deliberately and provocatively flouted the new laws in response, arriving 'tooled up', wearing such apparel, probably not even expecting any violent events later in the day.... But when the situation spun out of control the gear came in handy...